Biobased and Renewable Products Update

Biobased and Renewable Products Update

November 29, 2018

USDA Awards Two DOE National Laboratories

On November 19, 2018, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced that the Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), in New Mexico, and the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), in California, received the Excellence in BioPreferred Procurement Awards for Fiscal Year 2018. Both LANL and LLNL are U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) National Laboratories and have been awarded for the testing and adoption of biobased products within their operations. The awards reflect the laboratories’ achievements in advancing the objectives of USDA’s BioPreferred Federal Purchasing Preference Program. In their welding shop, LANL adopted a biobased lubricant used on metal-cutting machinery to replace the traditional oil-based lubricants formerly used. The biobased lubricant is not only more efficient, but also ensures safer work areas by reducing the potential for slips and falls. In addition, the biobased lubricant reduces the number of labor hours it takes to complete the welding operations and the costs for waste disposal. LLNL, on the other hand, converted all food service ware to biobased and compostable products, collecting 68 metric tons of compostable waste for reuse and recycling.

DOE Delays SBIR/STTR Phase I Release 2 Funding Opportunity Announcement

As some may recall, on October 29, 2018, DOE announced the topic areas for Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) for research and development (R&D) proposals for funding by the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) in fiscal year (FY) 2019. The original timeline for the nine topics proposed by EERE intended for the funding opportunity announcement (FOA) was scheduled to be released on November 26, 2018. On the aforementioned date, however, instead of the FOA, DOE announced a delay in the original schedule pending the completion of the internal DOE administrative review process. The notice did not specify when applicants should expect the FOA, but stated that DOE will notify interested parties when it has been issued. Other important dates related to the FOAs do not seem to be affected by the delay at this time.

International
G20 Brown To Green Report 2018 Published

Climate Transparency, a global partnership of international organizations to stimulate G20 climate action and empower zero carbon technologies through transparency, published in early November 2018 their annual “G20 Brown to Green — The G20 Transition to A Low-Carbon Economy” report. The report summarizes carbon-reducing activities across all G20 countries, utilizing 80 indicators. In an assessment of the climate policy and efforts performance of each G20 country, the report identifies gaps and highlights the financial flow necessary for the renewable sector to succeed. The report demonstrates that the transition into low-emission has been particularly successful in Mexico and in France, while particularly lagging in Canada and Saudi Arabia.

Research
Hydrochar — From Human Waste Into Renewable Biofuel

On November 16, 2018, scientists at the Israeli Ben-Gurion University (BGU) of the Negev announced the discovery of a new technique to produce biofuel from human excrement. In an attempt to reduce carbon footprint and address poor sanitation in Global South countries, scientists at BGU developed a technique called hydrothermal carbonization. By hydrothermally carbonizing raw solid human waste biomass, hydrochar, a coal-like sterilized substance, can be produced and used for household cooking and heating. Given energy scarcity and lack of basic sanitation in parts of the world, this new technique “could potentially serve as a sustainable sanitation technology with a closed-loop cycle approach while recovering energy and nutrients.” In addition to hydrochar, the newly developed technique also produces a liquid that is nutrient rich and can, consequently, be used as a fertilizer.

Industry
Lapland Airports Announce Switch To Neste Renewable Diesel

On November 13, 2018, Neste, a member of the Biobased and Renewable Products Advocacy Group (BRAG®), announced that the Finish airport operator Finavia has decided to adopt Neste’s MY Renewable Diesel in its vehicles at four airports. Neste MY Renewable Diesel is a low-carbon biofuel produced 100 percent from renewable raw materials. Finavia’s switch to this renewable biofuel is part of its goal to reach carbon neutrality within its airports by 2020. The use of Neste’s MY Renewable Diesel is not new in Finland. The biofuel has been in use at Helsinki airport for over a year now in Apron buses, reducing Finavia’s greenhouse gas emissions by 610 metric tons. Neste’s Vice President of Marketing and Services in Finland, Sam Holmberg, stated that Neste is pleased to cooperate with Finavia and has plans to extend the biofuel’s availability to Northern Finland in the near future.

Events
DOE EERE Webinar

On December 6, 2018, DOE EERE will host a webinar on “Biomass Production and Water Quality in the Mississippi River Basin” at 8:00 a.m. (EST). The webinar will be presented by Argonne National Laboratory and Oak Ridge National Laboratory, who will delve into the “modeling and analyses of potential implications of biomass production on nutrients and sediments in each of the six tributaries of the Mississippi River Basin.” Discussions will be held on methodology, data sources, water quality estimates, and system boundary. Register here.
Other News

Biofuels International, “Biogas-to-Biofuel Technology Accepted for Testing
Biofuels International, “Prospects Raised for Large Scale Algae Biofuel Production
Reuters, “Biofuel Groups Ask Federal Judge to Freeze U.S. Refinery Waiver Program
Packaging Gateway, “Leaf Resources Extends Leafcoat License to Europe
Reuters, “Iowa Senator Says Expect Fewer Biofuel Waivers from Wheeler’s EPA
Fronteras, “Food Biotechnology Added on New Trilateral Deal
City Press, “Biofuel from Castor Oil: How Thabang Mabapa Is Helping Farmers
Engadget, “Researchers Want to Power Pacemakers with Cotton-Based Biofuel Cell
Bio-Based News, “Seaweed Coffee Cups Could Help Ditch Single-Use Plastics
Composites World, “NREL Makes Strides with Bio-Based Acrylonitrile
Biofuels International, “EPA to ‘Reset’ Biofuel Targets Due to Production Shortfalls
Fast Company, “You’d Never Guess These Gorgeous Lamps Are Made from Bioplastic
Composites World, “Technical University of Munich Researchers Explore Using Algae to Make Carbon Fiber
The Engineer, “Biofuel Cell Can Match the Performance of Platinum
Drax.com, “Europe’s First Bioenergy Carbon Capture and Storage Pilot Now Underway
The Times of India, “Odisha Government Launches New Policy to Promote Biotechnology
ABOUT THE FIRM
The Biobased and Renewable Products Advocacy Group (BRAG®) helps members develop and bring to market their innovative biobased chemical products through insightful policy and regulatory advocacy. BRAG is managed by B&C® Consortia Management, L.L.C., an affiliate of Bergeson & Campbell, P.C.
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